If the Rockies are going to save this season, they need their closer. And reinforcements from their minor-league roster.
Brian Fuentes rejoined the team today for the beginning of a three-game series with the last-place San Diego Padres. Fuentes was placed on the bereavement list Tuesday to tend to a personal matter. Tonight was the earliest he could return based on league policy.
Steven Register was no longer listed on the lineup card, and was expected to be optioned out to Triple-A Colorado Springs for their final weekend.
Fuentes has been a dominating force in the bullpen over the past two months, converting 13 consecutive opportunities since July 3. His ERA during that stretch is 0.87.
The Rockies have also begun quietly tweaking their roster to make room on the Sept. 1 call-ups. An inspection of their official 40-man roster on the team website today revealed that Cory Sullivan has been removed. That would likely open up a spot for Olympian Dexter Fowler. Ryan Spilborghs, showing no problems with his strained left oblique during a rehab assignment, will be activated Monday. Reliever Matt Herges is expected back then. Reliever Casey Weathers will not join the team, but rather participate in the Fall League. Weathers, a former No. 1 pick, has been a star in Double-A Tulsa this season and figures to begin next spring as a strong candidate to make Colorado’s bullpen.
Others under consideration that haven’t been previously mentioned include infielders Jon Herrera and Christian Colonel. But Hurdle talked today about the difficulty of them finding playing time if they are called up, which hurts their chances.
A look at tonight’s lineups:
Rockies (63-72, six games back)
2B Clint Barmes .287
CF Willy Taveras .259
LF Matt Holliday .340
RF Brad Hawpe .294
1B Garrett Atkins .293
3B Ian Stewart .311
C Chris Iannetta .275
SS Troy Tulowitzki .241
RHP Aaron Cook (15-8, 3.91)

All’s Wells that didn’t end well.
Kip Wells’ career as a Rockie expired Saturday night, the final chapter in an experiment that never worked for the pitcher or the team.
The Rockies told Wells that he will be the roster casualty to make room for Livan Hernandez, who starts the series finale Sunday against the San Diego Padres. Wells went 1-2 with a 5.27 ERA in 15 games. He missed 74 games with a blood clot in his pitching hand that was corrected through surgery.
“You will find out officially tomorrow,’’ Wells said before receiving hugs and handshakes from several teammates.
The Rockies signed Wells to a one-year, $3.1-million contract over the winter, with the idea that he could serve as either a fifth starter or a seventh-inning reliever. He showed up at spring training with a different delivery, drawing the ire of the organization. By mid March he was eliminated from the rotation competition despite having better numbers than his competitors.
His preference was to start and as a reliever he never settled into a role. The Rockies will have to eat roughly $900,000 on his contract. It’s unclear whether he was designated for assignment – the likely option, which would give the team 10 days to trade or release him – or placed on outright waivers.
When opening day was rained out, Wells started the re-opener at Busch Stadium, helping the Rockies beat the Cardinals 2-1. That performance and the final out of a 22-inning game against the San Diego Padres stood as his Rockies’ highlights.
Wells had been bracing for the move once the Rockies claimed Hernandez earlier in the week. He didn’t view it negatively, hoping that he will land with a team that will give him an opportunity to re-establish himself going into next season.

“You aren’t going to ask about the lineup again are you?” Holliday said with a smile.

The Rockies broke out offensively in Wednesday’s victory, clubbing 15 hits. Prior to that game they had scored two runs or less in eight of their 13 games. Last night’s breakthrough was significant because it puts the Rockies in position to win their first road series. It will be a tall order with Jake Peavy, the reigning National League Cy Young award winner, going for the San Diego Padres.Read more…

Manager Clint Hurdle hasn’t raised his voice. He hasn’t slammed his fist on the desk. But after watching his team score two runs or less in the eight of its 13 games, Hurdle isn’t averse to shaking up the lineup.

The offense will have a slightly different look tonight when the Rockies face the San Diego Padres in game two of their series. Ryan Spilborghs is leading off and playing center field in place of Willy Taveras. And Clint Barmes, who has five hits in his past two games, is starting at second base in favor or struggling rookie Jayson Nix. Catcher Chris Iannetta is also back behind the plate to give Yorvit Torrealba a breather. Read more…

After Brian Fuentes played catch today, he realized he couldn’t pitch. As a result, the Rockies’ former closer won’t be activated until Monday’s series against the San Diego Padres, at the earliest. Read more…

Dugout chatter
â€œWeâ€™re doing all right. Our big theme is â€œKeep the ball off the ground.” It hasnâ€™t been 100 percent, but itâ€™s been better than the other teams so far. We can get better and we will get better.â€?
— Manager Clint Hurdle on the Rockies defense, which has committed just one error over the last four games.

Numbers of note: Padres relievers have yet to surrender a run this season in 15.2 innings and are holding opponents to a .154 average.

Dugout chatter
â€œYeah, Iâ€™m eager to get out there, Iâ€™m ready. But when youâ€™re not in the lineup, you have to be ready regardless. When Iâ€™m waiting to get my chance, I play the game mentally. Itâ€™s almost like Iâ€™m a manager, knowing who we have used, making sure Iâ€™m aware of whatâ€™s going on. That way, Iâ€™m ready when my time comes.â€?
— Jeff Baker, who gets his first start of the season tonight, playing right field in front of Brad Hawpe. Baker is 3-for-3 with a home run in three pinch-hit appearances.

Number of note: Rockies pitchers have issued zero walks over the last two games. Itâ€™s just the second time in franchise history the club has gone consecutive games without walking a batter.

Dugout chatter
â€œWhen heâ€™s effective, he repeats his delivery, he throws strikes, he works quick and gets ahead of the count. The gameâ€™s he didnâ€™t pitch well (in spring training), he didnâ€™t have command, the ball was up in the zone and he didnâ€™t have any command of his secondary pitches.â€?
— Manager Clint Hurdle on rookie Jason Hirsh, who makes his Rockies debut tonight.

Number of note: Padres starter Greg Maddux has 12 career wins against the Rockies. Just two pitchers have more â€“ Randy Johnson with 14, and Jason Schmidt with 13.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.